


Big Talk

by goldenkc



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Sarcastic banter, character deaths come later, its supernatural whatd you expect, just please be patient, maybe a little smut later on, old married couple fighting, sloooooow updates, this is ongoing i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-17
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-09-18 02:11:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9360974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenkc/pseuds/goldenkc
Summary: Cate Harvelle: six years older than sister Jo, and the daughter of Ellen and the late William Harvelle. She's been hunting since '03, not completely against her mother's wishes, but Jo's always been the baby of the family, so she never went with her big sister. When two Winchester hunters walk into their bar in 2006, the Harvelles' lives get turned upside down. What happens when both women fall for the oldest Winchester? Follow along with Cate and her story over the years of cases, sarcastic comments, and relationships--both made and broken.





	1. Everybody Loves A Clown || 01

_**September 29th, 2006** _

“Oh God, please let that be a rifle.”

“Nah, I'm just real happy to see you,” said the girl as she cocked the rifle pointed at the man's back. “Don't move.”

“Not moving--copy that,” he said, almost nervously. “You know, you should know something, miss, you put a rifle on someone, you don't want to put it right against their back, ‘cause it makes it real easy to do...” He spun around and grabbed the rifle from her hands and unloaded it. “...that.”

His cockiness got the best of him, and she punched him flat in the face, taking the rifle back.

“Sam! I need some help in here!” he shouted as he held his nose.

“Sorry, Dean. I can't right now, a little tied up.” A second girl had Sam walk into the bar area with his hands on his head, and her own gun pointed at him. An older woman walked in after the second, with her hands in her back pockets.

“Sam? Dean? …Winchester?” she asked, connecting dots.

“Yeah,” the one Jo had spoke.

“Son of a bitch,” she said aloud.

“Mom, you know these guys?” Jo asked.

“Yeah, I think these are John Winchester's boys.” Ellen chuckled and put her hand on the girl’s gun beside her to lower it. “Hey, I'm Ellen,” she said. “This is my daughter, Cate. And that's my youngest, Jo.” Jo lowered her rifle, trusting her mom that these boys would be no trouble.

“Hey,” Jo greeted.

“You're not gonna hit me again, are you?”

***

“Here you go,” Ellen handed Dean a towel with ice for his nose.

“Thanks,” he said, eyeing Jo warily. “You called our Dad, said you could help--help with what?”

“Well, the demon, of course. I heard he was closing in on it.”

“Was there's an article in the _Demon Hunter's Quarterly_ that I missed? I mean, who are you? How do you know about all this?”

Ellen, Jo and Cate leaned against the bar. Cate stood on Ellen’s right, Jo on her left. The women saw Ash still passed out on the pool table from last night.

“Hey, I just run a saloon, but hunters have been known to pass through now and again, including your dad a long time ago. John was like family once.”

“Oh, yeah?” Dean said, defensively. “How come he's never mentioned you before?”

Ellen didn't want to answer the question.  Cate knew why, but Jo didn't. “You'd have to ask him that.”

“So, why exactly do we need your help?”

“Hey, don't do me any favours. Look, if you don't want my help, fine. Don't let the door smack your ass on the way out. But John wouldn't have sent you if...” Realization hit her and she said, “he didn't send you.” Sam lowered his head a moment, then met his brother's eyes. “He's all right, isn't he?”

“No,” Sam spoke. “No, he isn't. It was the demon, we think. It just got him before he got it, I guess.” Dean let out a breath, and held the towel to his nose again.

Jo and Cate looked at each other, and looked at their mom. She was saddened. “I'm so sorry.”

“It's okay,” Dean said. “We're alright.”

“Really, I know how close you and your dad--”

“Really, lady, I'm fine.” He obviously didn't want to talk about it.

Sam looked to Ellen, “So, look, if you can help, we could use all the help we can get.”

“Well, we can't.” Ellen looked at Cate. “But Ash will.”

“Who's Ash?”

“Ash!” Ellen said a little louder.

He grunted as he woke, knocking over a few pool balls. “What?!” He looked around before he found Ellen. “Closing time?” he asked.

“That's Ash?” Sam asked, looking to Jo, almost disbelieving

“Mm-hmm. He's a genius.”

Dean sighed, getting up and grabbing an organizer of sorts from his things. He slammed it on the table as Ash came to sit at the bar. “You've got to be kidding me, this guy's no genius. He's a Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie.”

“I like you,” Ash said quietly to Dean, leaning in.

“Thanks,” Dean said, a little uncomfortable.

“Just give him a chance,” Jo said, pouring two glasses of water from a pitcher. Cate stood beside her.

Ash seemed excited as he licked his lips. Dean sighed and said, “Well, this stuff's about a year's worth of our dad's work, so let's see what you make of it.”

Ash accepted and searched the pages as Dean watched him carefully and Sam sipped his water. “Come on,” Ash said. “This crap ain't real. Ain't nobody can track a demon like this.”

“Our dad could,” Sam countered.

“These are non-parametric statistical overviews, cross-spectrum correlations. I mean… damn.” He was definitely excited. “They're signs, omens. If you can track them, you can track this demon. You know, like crop failures, electrical storms.”

Dean’s eyes widened as he seemed like he was having trouble keeping up.

“You ever been struck by lightning? It ain't fun.” Cate chuckled as she remembered when he tried to make his own generator for the bar during a storm and got zapped as he touched the hunk of metal.

“Can you track it or not?” Sam prompted.

“Yeah, with this, I think so. But it's gonna take time. Give me...” he mentally calculated with a deep breath. “51 hours.”

What else would they have done? Sam and Dean let Ash take the papers. “Hey, man. By the way, I dig the haircut,” Dean patted his shoulder.

“All business up front, party in the back,” he said as he flipped his hair that he was so proud of.

Jo walked off to put away the pitcher and Cate saw Dean's eyes glued to Jo’s ass. Cate rolled her eyes, sipping at her own drink.

“Hey, Cate, right?” Sam asked, to which she nodded. “You’re pretty quiet,” he said awkwardly. She shrugged. “Do you speak?”

“Yeah, I can speak,” she said, chuckling a little. She followed his gazed at behind the bar and asked what he was looking at.

He pointed at something behind her. “What is that?”

Cate looked at the same time Ellen turned from her pitcher of sugar and said, “It's a police scanner. We keep tabs on things--”

“No, the uh, the folder.”

Ellen grabbed the folder of past hunts and possible new ones. “Uh, I was gonna give this to a friend of mine, but take a look if you want.” Sam thanked her and started to skim.

Dean stood and walked over to Jo. Obviously, he was into her. Most men that walked in here tried to hit on her. It was Cate's job to put them in their place, though something told her Jo didn't want her to do that this time.

“How did your mom get into this stuff, anyway?” Dean asked, sitting across from Jo.

“My dad. He was a hunter. He passed away.”

“I'm sorry.”

“It was a long time ago. Cate and I were just kids.” She looked over at Cate and smiled as she noticed her sister trying not to eavesdrop. “Sorry to hear about your dad.”

“Yeah.” He took a breath and scratched his head saying, “So, I guess I got 51 hours to waste. Maybe tonight we should...” They looked at each other knowingly. She probably would have taken his offer had he not said, “You know what, never mind.”

“What?”

“Nothing, just... wrong place, wrong time.”

“I thought you were gonna toss me some cheap pickup line. Most hunters come through that door and think they can get in my pants with some pizza, a six-pack and side on of Zeppelin IV.”

“What a bunch of scumbags.”

“Not you.”

“I guess not.”

He looked down and Cate knew that that was exactly what he was about to do.

“Dean, come here. Check this out. A few murders not far from here that Ellen caught wind of. Looks to me like there might be a hunt,” Sam looked to his brother, hopeful to do something besides sitting around.

“Yeah, so?”

“So, I told her we'd check it out.”

“What are you doing?” Cate grabbed Jo’s arm, missing the brothers’ little argument.

“What?”

“With Dean. You like him.”

“I just met him, Cate.”

“I know you,” she said, scoffing slightly. “You know it doesn't work with hunters.”

“I know that. But sometimes it does. Look at Mom. She met Dad. And they stayed together--”

“Until he died. It's not a normal life, Jo.”

“Catie, why can't you just leave it alone? It's nothing. Nothing is going to happen between Dean and me. So drop it.”


	2. Everybody Loves A Clown || 02

**_September 30th, 2006_ **

_Ring! Ring!_

“Mom! Phone!” Cate called, readying to grab it if Ellen couldn’t.

“Thanks, baby,” she said, picking it up. “Hello? Oh, hiya, Sam. What do you need?”

Cate stood close enough to the post that she heard the other side of the conversation. “ _Look, this killer clown we're dealing with. It's really weird._ ”

“Well, obviously,” Ellen scoffed. “It's a killer clown. Tell me about it.”

“ _The kids invite the clowns into their homes, and the clowns rip the parents to shreds. We thought it was a ghost, but Dean shot it with some rock salt and it just knocked it down. It stood back up then vanished. Like, into thin air_.”

Cate’s eyebrows furrowed, as she cleaned a glass, having never heard of something like that before. The boys were right to call Ellen--if anyone knew about it, it’d be her. “Uh, okay. Let me think,” the retired hunter closed her eyes, wracking her brain for an answer. “Um, maybe it's a rakshasa.”

“ _A what, sorry?_ ”

Ellen chuckled, “It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form and feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible and they cannot enter a home without being invited.”

“ _It fits the profile._ ”

“Yeah, that's my best guess,” she sighed.

“ _Where can we find it?_ ”

“They live in squalor. Sleeping on a bed of dead insects,” Cate made a disgusted face at that comment. Ellen held back a laugh as she continued, “They feed a few times every 20 to 30 years.”

“ _Any idea how to kill it?_ ”

“If I recall correctly, legend says a dagger made of pure brass.”

“ _Alright. I'll see what I can do. Thanks a lot._ ”

“No problem,” she hung up, laughing as she did. “Oh, Cate, you should’ve seen your face.”

Cate scoffed. “Bed of dead insects? Yeah, it’s a little gross, Mom.”

Ellen sighed, facing her daughter with a serious expression. “What do you think of 'em?”

“The Winchesters? They’re alright,” she shrugged, knowing the story behind her mother’s question.

“Jo seems to have taken a liking to the oldest,” Ellen stated.

Cate nodded, grabbing another glass to clean. “I noticed that, too.”

Ellen let out a frustrated breath, looking over at Jo, who was cleaning tabletops for the afternoon rush. “I don’t want her getting involved in that. She doesn’t know, Cate, and I don’t want to tell her.”

Cate put a hand on her mom’s forearm. “She’s gonna find out eventually. And if it’s any consolation, I don’t think Dean and Sam know. They wouldn’t have come looking for us if they did.”

Ellen nodded, patting Cate’s hand. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” She looked over at Jo once more. “Just look for her, will you?”

“Always do, Mom.”

* * *

The boys got back and told the Harvelles all about the clown. It was after night fall so the Roadhouse was full of hunters.

Cate was by the pool table, Jo was sitting beside Dean and Ellen served the bar. She gave Sam and Dean each a beer and said, “You boys did one hell of a job. Your dad would be proud.” She raised her own glass to them to a smile.

“Thanks,” Sam nodded, holding back saddened thoughts. Ellen walked to the other side of the bar and Jo gave Sam a look to do the same. Though he didn't catch on quite so fast until both Jo _and_ Dean made it pretty obvious what they were asking. “Oh, yeah, uh, I've got to, uh. I've got to go... over there... right now,” he mumbled awkwardly.

Sam walked over to where Cate played pool, grabbing his own stick. “So…” Jo trailed off with a light smirk.

“So,” Dean returned with a similar look.

“Am I gonna see you again?”

“Do you want to?”

Jo shrugged, “I wouldn't hate it.”

“Can I be honest with you? See normally, I'd be hitting on you so fast it'd make you head spin, But these days... I don't know.”

“Wrong place, wrong time?” she asked. Dean was about to defend himself when she said, “It's okay. I get it.”

Over at the pool table, Sam asked, “Hey, Cate?”

“Yeah?” she asked, knocking the 6 in.

“Thanks for not shooting me when we first came in here.”

“I should've,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “Breaking in to my bar.”

He laughed, taking his turn when Cate’s ball bounced off the side rather than into a pocket. “Thanks anyway.

“No problem, Sammy.”

Sam winced slightly, “Uh, sorry, could you not call me that?”

“Sure thing, Samuel.”

“Sam works--” Cate gave him a look as he cut himself off. He nodded quickly, “Yep, so does Samuel.”

Dean and Jo were flirting not-so-innocently as Cate’s eyes kept fluttering over to them. Sam had picked up on it the first few times, wondering why Cate seemed so protective of the youngest Harvelle.

His thoughts were cut short when Ash stumbled into the saloon from the back with his papers and an accusatory look. “Where you guys been? I've been waiting for you.”

“We were working a job, Ash,” Sam chuckled.

“Yeah, they killed a clown,” Cate added proudly.

“Clown? What the--”

Dean noticed the mullet man and asked, “You got something for us, Ash?”

They cleared the pool table, planting all of Ash’s work atop it. “Did you find the demon?” Sam asked curiously.

“It's nowhere around, at least nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises his head, I'll know. I mean, I'm on it like divine on dog dookie.”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked, confused with Ash’s analogies.

“I mean any of those signs or omens appear anywhere in the world, my rig will go off like a fire alarm.”

“You mind?” Dean asked to search through Ash’s work.

Sam appeared stunned. “Ash, where did you learn to do all this?”

“MIT, before I got bounced for fighting,” he spat angrily at the memory. Cate chuckled, remembering the day he had to come home.

“MIT?”

“It's a school in Boston,” Ash sighed. Sam nodded his head, still slightly confused.

“Okay. Give us a call as soon as you know something?” Dean questioned.

“Si, si, compadre.”

“Hey, listen,” Ellen said. “If you boys need a place to stay, I got couple beds out back,” she offered, tossing the thumb behind her.

“Thanks, but no. There's something we’ve gotta finish.”

“Okay,” she smiled, nodding her head in understanding. Cate watched the Winchesters walk out the bar in the same door they came as she wiped the bar cleaned. When they didn't say goodbye, and Cate knew she'd see them again.


	3. No Exit || 01

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what's this?? two updates in one day??

_**November 2nd, 2006** _

Cate stood by the door of the saloon, watching the disastrous explosion that was Ellen and Jo Harvelle in a shouting match. She heard a car door slamming shut and peeked out the bar door window to see the Winchesters exiting their Impala.

“I'm going!”

“Over my dead body!”

“You're flipping out over nothing! You're being unreasonable!”

“I am your mother! I don't have to be reasonable!”

“You can't keep me here!”

“Don't you bet on that, sweetie!”

“What are you gonna do? Are you gonna chain me up in the basement?”

“You've had worse ideas than that recently.”

The brothers walked in, watching the women fight. Dean looked over to the eldest sister to say hello. “Cate, hey.”

“Dean, Samuel. Nice to see you boys still in one piece,” she greeted after having not since them in over a month.

“What's going on?” he asked quietly, gesturing to Jo and Ellen.

“Bad time,” Cate shook her head, having had watched them argue like that the last fifteen minutes.

“You don't wanna stay? Don't stay! Go back to school!”

“I didn't belong there! I was a freak with a knife collection!”

“Getting yourself killed on some dusty back road--That's where you belong?!” Ellen stopped, finally seeing their guests. “Guys, bad time.”

“Told you,” Cate muttered.

“Yes, ma'am. We rarely drink before 10AM anyway,” Dean chuckled, trying to add humour to the awkward situation they’d walked into.

“I wanna know what they think about this,” Jo said to Ellen.

“Jo,” Cate warned, glancing at their mother, who’s top was about to blow.

“Stop, Cate,” Jo snapped, gathering her files to show the boys.

“I don't care what they think!” Ellen exclaimed, suddenly hearing the phone ringing. She sighed as she walked over to the post. “Harvelle's. Yeah, Preacher,” she sighed again, knowing that man could talk her ear off forever.

Jo took that as her window to introduce the Winchesters to her case. “Three weeks ago, a young girl disappeared from a Philadelphia apartment,” she offered them the folder, but Dean didn't budge. “Take it, it won't bite.”

“No, but your mom might,” he said with raised eyebrows. Jo looked about ready to smack him, so he took the file.

“And this girl wasn't the first,” Jo continued her overview. “Over the past 80 years, 6 women have vanished--all from the same building, all young blondes. Only happens every decade or two, so cops never eyeball the pattern. So we're either dealing with one very old serial killer or--”

“Who put this together?” Dean interrupted her, fascinated with how well it was done. “Ash?”

“I did it myself,” Jo replied confidently, hiding her discouragement of Dean’s disbelief.

Sam looked over the file himself and spoke up, “I got to admit, we hit the road for a lot less.”

“Good,” Ellen said after hanging up the phone, walking up to the four near the door. “If you like the case so much, you take it.”

“Mom!” Jo shouted.

“Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough.”

“Uh-oh,” Cate whispered next to Dean. “She middle-named her.”

“Is that bad?” he asked quietly.

“Very bad,” she responded.

Ellen continued, “I won't lose you, too. Or you, Cate, so don't even think about taking it on with the boys.”

“Mom--” Cate went to argue before being cut off.

“I just won't,” Ellen said in a tone that meant the conversation was over.

* * *

The boys ended up leaving with the case and Jo was not pleased. Then she came up with a plan. She was going to tell Ellen she was going to Vegas. Cate stopped her and said their mom wouldn't believe it. Jo got Ash to do her dirty work for her--a paper trail all the way to the casinos.

“She went to Vegas?!” Ellen exclaimed, walking into the saloon from the back room with a note in hand.

Cate was startled, but continued on her rehearsed dialogue anyway. “Yeah. She left a couple hours ago,” she said, praying her voice didn’t shake.

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“She didn't want you to catch up right away.”

“Catherine Grace,” Ellen warned lowly.

Cate winced, hating being middle-named as much as Jo, if not, more. “Mom, stop. She's 21 years old. She's a big girl.”

Ellen glared at her eldest, hoping she’d crack and spill the truth. When she didn’t, Ellen grabbed the phone off the post, still staring at Cate, who now had a sheepish smile on her face.

“Is she with you?” Ellen asked in place of a proper greeting. “She left a note she's in Vegas. And Cate is backing her story. I don't believe it for a second… Dean?”

She paused as Dean responded, though the phone was too far away for Cate to hear. But Cate was guessing Jo was already there.

 “You sure about that?” Ellen asked into the phone. “Well, please, if she shows up, drag her butt back here, won't you?” she asked desperately. “Okay, thanks, Hon.”

Cate grabbed the phone quickly, muttering something to Ellen about having to ask Dean a question before he got off the phone. “Dean.”

“ _Cate?_ ”

“She's already with you, isn't she?” she asked quietly when she saw her mom was no longer in the main room.

“ _Uhh_ ,” Dean trailed off, unsure what to disclose.

“No, she's not doing it,” Cate said forcefully, rubbing her hand across her forehead--a nervous habit she’d picked up from her father. “Bring her back. I shouldn't have let her go. Handcuff her in your car, I don't care. Bring her ass back home.”

Dean paused and Cate heard a small voice speaking. Then he said, “ _Yeah, she says she's not coming._ ”

“Dammit, Jo,” Cate muttered to herself. “Dean, so help me God, if anything happens to her, I'm coming for your head.”

“ _Got it. Message received._ ”

* * *

A few hours later, Cate was looking for Ellen to ask about the hunt she was to take in a few days. “Where's Mom?” she asked Ash after having not found her anywhere in the building.

“Went to find Jo,” he stated, not even bothering to glance up from his computer screen.

“What?” Cate asked, her voice coming out in a fearful whisper.

“She flew to Philadelphia,” Ash said, picking up on Cate’s distress.

“Oh, shit. She is going to kick my ass when she gets home,” she groaned, slumping down onto a stool, resting her arms on the bar as Ash rubbed her back in circles to ease her stress.

* * *

Cate was pacing in the closed bar while Ash watched her walk and forth from where he sat on a bar stool. “You need to plant your caboose before you create a trench in the damn floor with all that pacin’.”

Cate chuckled humourlessly. “If Jo got hurt because I let her go, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Sweetheart, you gotta chillax!” he said, offering Cate a beer. When she refused it, he shrugged and drank it himself. “She’ll be fine. And besides, it’s not just _your_ ass Ellen’ll come after if somethin’ happens to the little one. I helped, too.”

“Only ‘cause we coerced you into it.”

“Ha! Ain’t nobody that can coerce Dr. Badass into anythin’.”

Cate laughed at Ash’s antics, realizing he was only trying to calm her anxiety. When she heard a car door shut, she ran to the front door, seeing everyone still intact. “Alright, Ash, you may wanna get outta here. Who knows what’ll happen.”

“Roger that,” he saluted, bringing his beer with him to his room.

When they walked in, Ellen had Jo by the arm, Sam and Dean following. “Thank God, you're okay,” Cate sighed, wrapping her arms around her little sister. Jo smiled, hugging her sister back just as tightly.

“Ellen, this was my fault, okay?” Dean began. “I lied to you and I'm sorry. But Jo did good out there. I think her dad would be proud.”

“Don't you _dare_ say that--not you.”

“Mom,” Cate said quietly.

“I need a moment with my daughter--alone,” Ellen said. The boys walked out and when Cate didn’t move, Ellen told her to leave, as well.

“Guys, wait,” Cate called before they left, but she stuck by the door to listen to what Ellen was about to say to Jo.

“You're angry. I understand.”

“Angry doesn't begin to touch it!”

“Let's just think about this. Everything's okay. I'm alive.”

“Not after I'm through with you!”

“Is this about hunting, or something else? You let Cate go hunting, even after Dad.”

“You let those boys use you as bait.”

“They were backing me up the whole time.”

“That is why you do not have the sense to do this job. You're trusting your life to _them_.”

“Oh, shit, she's gonna say it,” Cate whispered, just now realizing the boys were listening, too.

“Say what?” Dean asked. Cate didn’t answer, too invested in her family’s conversation on the other side of the door.

“What are you talking about?” Jo asked.

“Like father, like son. That is what I'm talking about…” Ellen trailed off when her voice cracked, unable to hold back her emotions.

“John? I thought you and John were friends,” Jo said, obviously confused.

“Yeah, we were. I'm sorry, I didn't mean--”

“Mom. What aren't you telling me?”

“Okay,” Cate said, grabbing the boys’ arms and dragging them away from the door. “We’re not listening anymore.”

“Cate, what is going on?” Dean asked, yanking his arm back when they reached his car, far enough away from the bar to not hear Jo and Ellen.

“Why are you and Ellen so protective of Jo? I get that she’s family, but keeping her from hunting at her age… isn’t that a little much?” Sam asked.

“She’s my little sister, Sam. I know she can hold her own, she always has. But she’s still my little sister and if I can protect her from everything out there, I will.” Cate turned to Dean, asking, “If you could keep your kid sibling from all the monsters in the world, wouldn’t you?”

Dean looked over Cate’s shoulder at Sam, and before he got his answer out, Jo came storming out of the bar.

“Jo!” Cate called, wanting to comfort her sister.

“Don't, Cate,” Jo snapped, not bothering to even look at the blonde.

The eldest Harvelle stopped immediately, hurt that Jo didn’t want to talk to her, but she understood. She walked back to Sam and leaned against the Impala with him as he put an arm around her shoulder comfortingly. Cate almost felt guilty that Sam was so kind to her when he didn’t know what she kept from him.

Dean jogged after Jo. “That bad, huh?” he chuckled, hoping to add light to the situation.

“Not right now,” she said.

“Hey, talk to me,” he offered, grabbing her wrist to stop her from walking away.

“Don't touch me!”

Dean stopped, raising his hands in surrender. “Sorry. I'll see you around.”

Jo couldn’t stop herself from telling Dean the truth and they were close enough to the car that Sam and Cate could hear her every word. “Dean... It turns out my dad had a partner on his last hunt. Funny, he usually worked alone. This guy did, too. But I guess my father figured he could trust him. A mistake.”

“What is she talking about?” Sam asked Cate.

“I'm sorry,” she responded quietly, looking down at her hands as she played with a loose thread in her jean shorts.

“The guy screwed up, got my dad killed,” Jo continued.

“What does this have to do--”

“It was your father, Dean.”

“What?”

“Why do you think John never came back? Never told you about us? ‘Cause he couldn't look my mom in the eye after that--That's why.”

“Jo--”

“Just--just get out of here. Please just leave,” Jo said, finishing the conversation when she turned around and didn’t stop walking down the dirt road.

Dean walked back to the car with slumped shoulders. “Cate--”

“You should go,” she said.

“I don't know what I did--” he shrugged guiltily.

“It's not your fault,” Cate said, shaking her head, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I know that. I don't blame you.”

“You knew?”

“Yes, I knew. I got it out of Mom when I wanted to start hunting three years ago. She's always trusted me, but Jo's always been a baby to her.”

Sam had long since taken his arm back from around Cate’s shoulders. “Does Ellen hate us for what happened?” he asked.

“No, Sam,” she said honestly, turning to him. “Seeing you two just brought up a lot. And when Jo wanted to hunt, it freaked her out.”

“So what can we do?” he asked.

“There's nothing you can do. I’m sorry,” she said, to which they nodded. “Just stay alive, alright, boys?” Cate stood from where she was leaning against the car.

She grabbed Sam’s collar, bringing him down to kiss his cheek and hug around his neck, given that he was eight inches taller than her. Then she hugged Dean, holding him a moment and resting her head on his chest.

“Seriously,” she whispered. “Stay alive.” Dean chuckled, promising her he would. He kissed the top of her head, reluctantly letting her go.

Cate wasn’t all that worried. She knew they’d be back eventually.


	4. Born Under A Bad Sign || 01

_**February 15th, 2007** _

Cate hadn’t been hunting as often in the last few months. Sure, a few cases here and there, but not as much as she did before she moved from home (and honestly, not as much as she’d like). Jo wanted independence and normalcy. Cate wanted to make Jo happy. They moved to upstate together, started working at a Tavern, bought a little two bedroom apartment with a hidden closet for their armory.

Jo was working the late shift and Cate was back at their little home, checking the web for any sign of a case nearby.

Her phone started ringing, and her brows furrowed at the caller ID. Cate and the eldest Winchester had told each other they’d call every few months to check in, and let the other know they were still alive. But Dean had just called a month and a half ago, so she was curious why he was calling already.

“Dean?”

“ _Cate, hi_ ,” he greeted hastily. “ _Look, no time for chit chat. I know it hasn’t been that long, but where did you say you and your sister moved to after you two started hunting together?_ ”

“Minnesota, why?”

“ _Duluth?_ ”

“Yes…” she heard him curse at the other end. “What's going on?”

“ _Sam's coming to you_.”

“Why does that sound like a bad thing?”

“ _Because it's not Sam_.”

She shook her head, “I don't follow--”

“ _He's possessed. He must be. There's this demon, Meg, and must've she hopped into him_.”

Cate ran her hand across her forehead anxiously, “Are you saying this demon is coming after us?”

“ _Yeah, his phone's GPS shows him in Duluth. My guess is he's going to the Tavern you told me you both work at_.”

“Okay, shit,” she muttered. “Jo’s there now. I'll text you the address. We better get there before he does.”

“ _We will, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to her, Cate_.”

* * *

“Dean!” Cate called quietly from the side of the building when she saw the Camaro pull into the lot.

“Cate. Hey,” he greeted, pulling her in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head and said, “Sorry we had to meet like this after everything.”

She shook her head, “It's fine. Let's just go get my sister.”

“Where were you?” he asked curiously, following her around the building.

“Jo and I share an apartment a little bit away. The door is right here.”

They entered the Tavern with guns raised. They cleared the first couple hallways then found their siblings in the main room, Jo tied to a pole and Sam standing over her with a knife and black eyes.

“Sam!” Dean shouted, running into the room with no game plan.

Cate followed anyway, pointing the gun at the Winchester vessel, telling her sister, “Jo, just hold on, sweetie.”

“I begged you to stop me, Dean!” Sam shouted, confusing the Harvelles in the room.

“Put the knife down, dammit,” Dean said taking a step closer. Cate stood guard, prepared to pull the trigger if it meant saving her sister.

“I told you I can't fight it! My head feels like it's on fire, alright? Dean, kill me, or I'm gonna kill her. Please. You'd be doing me a favour. Shoot me. Shoot me!” he pleaded loudly.

Dean shook his head, lowering his gun, sneakily putting his hand in his pocket. “No, Sammy. Come on.”

Sam’s jaw dropped. “What the hell's wrong with you, Dean? Are you that scared of being alone that you'd let Jo die?!”

Dean used the element of surprise, tossing liquid from a flask at Sam, burning his skin. “That's holy water, you demonic son of a bitch!”

He did it twice more, then Sam dropped the knife and flew out the window.

“Go!” Cate called. “I've got her!” she said, working Jo’s restraints.

“He was possessed?! Dean!” Jo shouted as Dean followed his brother out the window. “Cate, what the hell just happened?"

* * *

“Call him again,” Cate said, frustrated.

The sisters had been looking for Dean for the last thirty minutes, and Cate didn’t want to think about what could have happened to him in that time.

“ _This is Dean. Leave a message,_ ” the voicemail said.

“He's not answering, Cate,” Jo said quietly. She rang him again, feeling defeated.

They ended up by a dock when Cate said, “Wait, I can hear it.” They looked around until they saw his body at the end of the dock. “Dean!” Cate ran up to him, checking for a pulse.

She was happily relieved when he took a deep breath, coughing forcefully. He clutched his arm in pain and Cate saw the crimson colour in the low light.

“Take it easy,” Jo said, helping him up.

“Where's Sam?” he asked coarsely.

Jo looked around quickly, “I don't know. We've been looking for _you_. Come on, get up.”

* * *

They carried him back to their apartment, which proved to be a difficult task as the man weighed almost as much as the women combined in muscle alone.

“Jo, honey, pacing is my thing,” Cate said with a light chuckle, pulling the bullet out of Dean’s arm. He groaned loudly as she worked the forceps through his flesh. “Don't be a baby,” she said playfully.

“God,” he grumbled, biting hard on his lip.

Cate was trying to get a grip on the little piece of metal causing so much pain. “Alright, almost… okay, got it,” she said, finally getting the bullet out, dropping it on the table with a thud.

“God, you're a butcher,” Dean said hoarsely, looking at the bloodied hole in his bicep.

Cate scoffed, “You're welcome.”

“Alright, are we done?”

“Would you give me two minutes to patch you up? You can't help Sam if you're bleeding to death.”

Jo understood Cate’s look at her, and went to try distracting Dean from the needle tearing through his arm, “So, how did you know that he was possessed?”

He shook his head, looking away from Cate, “I didn't. I just knew that it couldn't have been him.”

“I know demons lie, but do they ever tell the truth, too?” she asked, causing Cate’s brows to furrow as she focused on the man’s arm.

“Uh, yeah, sometimes, I guess. Especially if they know it'll mess with your head. Why do you ask?”

“Nothing. It doesn't matter,” she said vaguely. “Do you have any idea where he's headed to next?”

He shrugged with his one good arm, “So far, he's been going after the nearest hunter. So, the closest one I know is in South Dakota.”

“Okay, good. I'm done,” Cate said, patting his shoulder, and muttering an apology through a chuckle when he winced at her.

“Let's go,” Jo said, grabbing a gun.

Cate held her sister’s arm, stating, “You're not coming.”

“Neither are you,” Dean interjected.

“What? Dean,” Cate said in a tone that told Dean not to disagree with her.

“The hell I'm not,” Jo said tugging her arm from Cate’s grasp. “I'm a part of this now.”

Cate sighed, and staring at Dean, she said, “Jo, can you give us a second?”

“Whatever,” she scoffed, walking into her bedroom and slamming her door like a preteen angry with her parents.

Cate spoke lowly, “Look, I know how to handle myself, if you think I can’t, then just tell me.”

“That’s not it,” Dean sighed, struggling to put on his jacket.

Cate stepped forward, helping his wounded arm through the leather coat. “Then what?” she asked.

“I can't say it more plain than this--You try and follow me, and I'll handcuff you to this table--”

“I’d just pick it,” she shrugged defiantly.

“Don't test me, Cate,” he pointed at her.

“What the hell is your deal?” she said heatedly, feeling like he didn’t trust her.

“I’m not losing you!” Dean snapped. He closed his eyes, knowing he shouldn’t be yelling at the woman who’d just helped him. “Please, just--drop it. This is my fight. I'm not getting your blood on my hands. That's just how it's gonna be.”

Cate accepted his explanation, realizing he was only trying to protect her. “Fine. At least, take these,” she said, offering him a bottle of pain meds. “You’ll be no good if you’re clutching your arm with pain every few seconds.”

He took them, pocketing the bottle. “Thanks. I'll call you later, okay?” He stepped forward, kissing the top of her head, patting her back with his good arm.

“You better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, hope you’ve enjoyed the story thus far. up to now what i’ve been doing is just inserting cate into the supernatural episodes, but next i will be writing original story lines for the chapters. you’ll still get some of the actual show, but i just don’t want to cate and dean’s relationship to always be revolving around the harvelles and their plot in the tv show. which also means the chapters will take longer for planning and writing. i apologize for the wait, thank you for the patience :)


	5. Cool Kids || 01

_**November 22nd, 2008** _

Cate was crouched down by the body, or rather, _half_ of it. The other half was a couple feet away. Throughout the house stood a few local police officers and on the road were their squad cars. One officer was getting a statement from the wife of the man whose body laid before Cate.

“Gross,” she muttered to herself, scrunching her nose. Down the driveway of the lavish and newly built home, she heard voices that sounded all too familiar to her. “Those assholes,” she grunted, standing back up.

“I’m Special Agent Wetton. This is Special Agent Downes. We’re here about--”

“Go ahead,” said the deputy Cate had met last week. “There's another agent already in there.”

“Who's that?”

“Agent Rogers.”

“Oh, right. I didn't know he was on this one.”

“Um, she,” corrected the mildly confused deputy.

“Oh, it's his mother then.”

“How is that possible--” the deputy was cut off by Cate who had finally decided to put the Winchesters out of their misery and stop them from embarrassing themselves any further.

“Sister, actually. It's the family business,” she lied coolly. “I'll take it from here, Deputy.”

The man nodded, stepping back for the people he knew as FBI agents to chat. “Cate,” the eldest brother greeted stiffly.

“Dean, haven’t seen you since I cut open your arm and saved your life,” she smirked, leading them inside the victim’s home so they could speak more privately.

“It was _one_ bullet--”

She turned to the other brother, closing the home office door behind them, “And Samuel, haven’t seen you since you tried to kill my sister.”

Sam stuttered at first, then shrugged, “In my defense, I was possessed.”

Dean raised his arms to halt the chitchat, looking at the woman he hadn’t seen in over a year. “Look, what are you doing here?” he asked as though he wasn’t happy to see her, but boy, was that a lie.

“My job,” she said sternly, raising her own doctored FBI badge. Dean took it from her before she could protest to inspect it.

Sam watched the exchange back and forth as he found a chair in the office Cate brought them to. It seemed as though when those two were in a room together, no one else existed. And Sam couldn’t help but smile as Dean became awe-struck with the huntress.

“Wow, this is good work,” Dean finally said. “Who did this?”

She scoffed, “I did.”

“No, really?” he asked, disbelieving her.

“ _I did_. Let me see yours,” she demanded, holding out a hand. After looking it over, it was as though she was holding back a smirk when she said, “Not bad.”

“Not bad? I did just as good as you.”

“Oh, yeah. Absolutely,” Cate said sarcastically. “The only thing--” she muttered, underlining a few words on the fabricated badge-- “‘ _issued by district attorney_ ’… Attorney is spelt with _two_ T’s.”

“Wha--” he snatched it, sighing when he caught the mistake himself.

“Dumbass,” Sam called as he barked out a laugh.

“Hey, back to you! Does your mom know about this?” he asked, frustrated as he gestured to her.

Cate scoffed again, “Of course she does. Jo didn't want to let me go alone on this one, but it should wrap up fairly quickly. She and I have been hunting for over a year, not that you would know given that I haven't heard from you in a while. Speaking of which--” She cut herself off to punch Dean hard in the arm.

“Ow!” he grunted, grabbing his arm as Sam let out another laugh.

Cate pointed fiercely at the man she’d hit and he noted anger, yet a hint of amusement in her light green eyes, “That's for making me think you were dead.”

“Technically, I was dead,” he quipped back as Cate walked out of the room.

“Nice job,” Sam chuckled, clapping his brother on the back and following Cate out the door. “So, Dean, what are we even doing here? By the looks of it, Cate’s got it,” he whispered just as Cate went into the garage.

“Dude, we are going through a ton of crap right now. We need a nice, normal case,” Dean defended.

“And this has nothing to do with Cate?” Sam narrowed his eyes.

Dean sputtered, looking between the open garage door and his brother, “No--What? What does that even mean?”

Before Sam could answer, Cate poked her head inside. “Boys. You comin’?”

“Absolutely,” Dean nodded, momentarily glaring at Sam. He followed Cate through the garage. “So, what do we got?”

“I heard of these people dyin’ strange deaths in the same gated community. One dad fell off a ladder, grandma choked on her own cookies, babysitter drowned in the tub on the job,” she explained.

“And this guy?” Dean asked, groaning in disgust when he saw the two halves of one body.

“Tripped on an electrical cord and the garage door cut him in half.”

“Why'd it stand out? Maybe it's just bad luck,” Sam shrugged as he crouched by the top half of the man, checking for anything supernatural.

“You'd think--with the others. But not this one,” she stated. “The door hasn't been tampered with. Someone closed it right on him. In the last two weeks, five people dead.”

“Any similarities between them?” Dean asked.

“I've only found one thing, but it's kind of random.”

"What is it?”

She paused, looking at the son of the recently deceased man at the end of the driveway, who was holding tightly to his mother’s leg and staring intently at his father. “There was a child at every death.”

* * *

“Changeling? What the hell is that?” Cate asked, sitting on the edge of her motel bed after she shrugged off her dark blue blazer.

She’d taken the Winchesters back to her room when they said they knew what was happening. Dean plopped down, stomach first, on Cate’s mattress, not bothered by her attempting to shove his feet away from her.

Sam sat at the table where Cate had gathered her evidence, and he spoke while glancing over the work, “They can perfectly mimic children. They climb in the window, snatch the kid.”

“So, what, the creep takes place of the kid and sticks around because he don't have a happy family of his own?” Cate asked, grinning after successfully shoving Dean off her bed.

“No, they, uh, they feed on the mom. The synovial fluid. The moms get odd bruises on the back of their necks. They feed on them for weeks before the mom finally breaks,” Sam said, searching through the victims list.

“So why the three dads, grandma and babysitter dead?” she asked when she walked up beside Sam, pointing at the list as she named them.

“Anyone who gets between the changeling and the mom gets killed,” Dean said absently, ruffling through Cate’s box of fake IDs.

“Perfect,” she said sarcastically.

“These are yours?” he asked, holding up a few.

“Yeah. I make them as I need them.”

“Parker, Stark, Barton, Barnes. Really?” Dean smirked at her. Sam chuckled to himself, knowing Dean and Cate were bantering and wouldn’t notice the rest of the world for the next few minutes.

“I like superheroes,” she said forcefully, glaring at man with half a foot on her.

Dean chuckled almost condescendingly, staring her down, “That's a little obvious, don't you think?”

“Says the guy with popular artist aliases?”

“Who's gonna notice?”

“I'm alone. I get the 'hmm, that's funny, what a coincidence.' You have two people show up with classic rock musicians' names, usually from the same band,” she argued. Dean guffawed, as if she was totally off base. She smirked up at him, crossing her arms. “Wetton and Downes, from the band Asia, right?”

Dean looked down, muttering, “Maybe.”

Satisfied with having won their little argument, Cate turned to the quieter brother. “How do we kill these monsters?”

Sam looked up, fleetingly stunned that they were done bickering already. “Fire,” he stated.

“Fire? Even better,” she chuckled, sitting back on the bed. “What happens to the real kids?”

“They stash them underground. They're out there,” he nodded, reassuring her. “

How do you know so much about these?” she asked, looking at Sam.

“We dealt with a few last year,” he answered, noticing that when Dean went beside Cate, they sat in the exact same position.

“And there's a mother, too,” Dean interjected.

“Like a mother changeling?” Cate asked incredulous.

Dean nodded, filling her in as Sam looked over the house listings for the area. “Yeah. When the changelings took the kids, they'd keep them alive so Mama Changeling could snack on them.”

“This could not get any better,” she groaned, rubbing her hand on her forehead, a nervous habit Dean had noticed last time they were together.

“Part of the job,” he shrugged, lightly patting her thigh in assurance.

Cate nearly flinched at the touch, but ultimately let him rest his hand on her. “So where would they hide the real kids?”

“In this gated community, are there any empty homes with basements?” Sam asked, looking up from the papers at Cate.

He saw Dean’s hand placement, and something as small as a hand on a thigh would mean nothing to anyone else, but Sam knew his brother. Dean is not a touchy-feely, there-to-comfort-you kind of guy. He was sure nothing was going on between those two--at least, nothing yet.

The fact that Dean had dragged them out to this case in the first place was strange enough, but practically demanding that they stay, even when they knew Cate had it, was more than suspicious. Sam couldn’t help but wonder if Dean had chosen this case knowing the eldest Harvelle was already there. But then again, Sam had never known his brother to get hung up on a girl.

“Yeah,” Cate replied, pulling Sam from his thoughts. “They just started building the area a few years ago, they’re selling pretty quickly. But there should still about six or seven.”

“Okay, let’s get lookin’,” Dean declared, clapping his hands together.

Cate nodded, standing up and grabbing her phone from the table. “I’ll call the real estate agent. I got her number when I asked around the neighbourhood.”

She walked across the room, running a hand through her hair and tugging on the collar of her white button-up blouse.

Cate plastered a smile on her face when the person on the other end of the line picked up, “Karen, hi, it’s Agent Rogers. Listen, I’d just love to move into one of your new houses. Are there any left?”

Sam watched as a small smile grew on Dean’s face. Sam almost stopped Dean from staring at the woman, but couldn’t help revelling in the fact that _the Dean Winchester_ had a crush on a girl.

“Five left? Perfect,” Cate smiled, nodding at Sam. “Do you mind if I come down to check them out? Now, say? Wonderful. Okay, I’ll meet you there. Great, thank you.” Cate pocketed the cell, telling the boys the plan was in motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao sam knows what's up


	6. Cool Kids || 02

_**November 22nd, 2008** _

Sam and Dean had gone to look at one of the empty houses while Cate waited in another’s driveway. “Agent Rogers!” called the real estate agent just down the road.

“Oh, please, Karen,” she smiled warmly as she shook the woman’s hand. “I’m about to buy a house from you. Call me Cate.”

“Alright, Cate. Shall we get started?”

“Actually, would you mind waiting another moment? The two men I’m with just went to check out one of them already,” she said, giving the excuse of wanting to save time.

Karen agreed, tucking a few strands of her dark hair behind her ear. They stood in the driveway of one of the new houses, and began discussing the others up for sale. Sam and Dean came out of one of the houses on the same street, conversing quietly.

“Hey, babe,” Cate greeted, and with no warning at all, she wound her fingers through Dean’s. “What’d you think of that one?” she asked, hazel eyes boring into Dean’s as though she was willing him to play along.

He nodded subtly glancing at the civilian a few feet from them. “Uh, no. I don’t think the kitchen is big enough. Y’know, I like to cook,” he smirked.

Cate chuckled, patting Dean’s chest as she said, “Pouring a bowl of cereal is not cooking, Dean.”

He glared at her and Cate held back at scoff at her faux-boyfriend, tugging his hand forward to follow the realtor. “Well, there are four others on this road besides that one,” Karen explained.

“Great, we’ll check them all out,” Cate declared.

Dean leaned down to Cate ear and whispered, “You know, your sister pulled the same thing on me at that job in Philly a couple years back.”

She intently ignored him, looking over at a house they’d passed. If she wasn’t mistaken, she could have sworn she said bars on the side basement window. “What about this one?” she asked curiously.

The realtor stopped when she looked at the house Cate was asking about. The huntress narrowed her eyes as she noted the woman’s smile faltered for a moment. Karen kept a wide smile on her face as she said, “Oh, that one’s not ready yet.”

“But there’s a ‘for sale’ sign in the yard,” Cate pointed out.

Karen quickly dismissed her, saying, “It hasn’t been approved. Shall we check out this house?”

Cate turned to face the younger Winchester and said sweetly, “Samuel, would you mind going out to get us a couple coffees? Black for me, twelve sugars in Dean’s, and you can get whatever you’d like. My treat. I think I saw a shop a couple roads over.” She fished a twenty dollar bill out of her pocket, handing it to him.

At first, Sam thought Cate had genuinely wanted a coffee, but then he noticed the way her eyes flew over to the house they’d been turned away from. “You got it,” he nodded, letting her know he got the message.

“Here we are,” sang the realtor as they walked up the steps of a massive new house. She stayed a few steps ahead as she explained, “As you know, it’s newly built. It passed the home inspection with flying colours. It’s currently at $450,000, but I’m sure a deal can be made for a few thousand under the asking.”

When Dean’s jaw dropped at the numbers, Cate quickly backhanded his chest--a gesture that told him to stay on task. When they entered the kitchen, Cate asked, “Would you mind giving us a moment?”

Karen nodded, leaving the pair alone. Dean narrowed his eyes down at the woman before him, asking, “Why the hell do you need coffee _now_? And shitty coffee, at that. I still don’t understand why you don’t add anything to it.”

Cate smacked his shoulder, and before Dean could tell her to stop hitting him, she said, “Listen, the real estate lady obviously doesn’t want us in that house. I sent Sam away so he could check it out.”

He raised his brows at her fast-thinking. “What, you think she’s the changeling mother?”

She shrugged, leaning against the new granite countertops. “Maybe it’s their MO. Y’know, take over new gated communities and use real estate agents as their meat suits. Look, I’ll go chat her up while you look around the house. And check the basement,” she ordered, pointing a demanding finger at him.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “You know I’ve killed one of these before, right?” he quipped cockily.

“You know I’ve killed one of these before, right?” she mimicked in a dramatically higher voice.

His face dropped into a glare as Cate left the room with a playful smirk. She met up with Karen in the living room. They walked around the first floor together, small-talking as they went.

“So, you’re both FBI agents?” Karen asked. When Cate nodded, she continued, “You’re buying a house together, but you aren’t married?”

Cate stopped for a second, glancing over at her. The darker haired woman raised her hands in apology.

“Sorry, it’s my job to make small talk.”

Cate went along with it, saying, “No, we’re not married.”

“Did you two meet on the job?”

Cate nodded, creating a narrative easily, “Yes, we did. He had more experience, but he needed my help on something.”

“How long have you two been together?”

“A year and a half now,” she lied calmly.

“He must be something special. I see how you look at him,” Karen smiled, following Cate into another empty room.

“I don’t know. There was something about him that was stubborn as hell, but it kind of drew me to him, you know?” she said, surprising honest. “Mind you, he still is pretty damn stubborn. I just can’t keep away from him.”

“You two really love each other. It’s that subtle love hidden under bickering.”

She begun to grow uncomfortable and opted for saying, “Um, yeah. Let’s check upstairs.” As they rounded the corner, Cate bumped into a body. “Dean.”

“Hey,” he said, and Cate could’ve sworn she saw a light pink colour across his cheek. “I’m not a fan of this one either. The third bedroom is much smaller than the second, and I don’t think our kids would like that very much,” he stated, resting an arm on the small of Cate’s back for added effect.

“You have kids?” Karen asked with raised brows.

Dean shook his head, clarifying, “No, but we’re thinking about it. We’d like nice bedrooms, just in case.”

Cate looked away, hiding a small smile. She remembered when she’d told him during one of their check-in phone calls that she’d always wanted kids. He didn’t. So she knew that comment was for her benefit. And she couldn’t help but smile, wondering what game he was playing.

“Well, then how about the next one then?” Karen offered, showing them to the door.

The woman explained some features of the next house as they all walked down the road. Dean and Cate said they wanted to check out the place alone, and Karen agreed, stepping out to the front porch.

The two navigated through the large home, heading for the basement. “I heard what you said to her,” Dean said vaguely once they’d reached the lower floor.

“What’d I say?” Cate asked, opening doors around the floor.

“About you and me, and all that. Was that true?”

“Was _what_ true?” she asked for a clarification, mainly just wondering how much he’d heard of her conversation in the last house.

Dean grabbed the blonde’s wrist, looking down at her. He paused, and Cate didn’t miss when his eyes glanced down to her lips. “That you were drawn to me. Or was that just a story for our cover?”

Her mouth ran dry, staring up at those green orbs. “Definitely just a story. Let’s just find the kids, okay?” She pulled her arm back lightly, suddenly missing the temporarily warmth he’d given her.

“Yeah. Okay.” He dismissed it, but Cate knew better. Dean Winchester was a freaking human lie detector when it came to her.

But he dropped it, making Cate wonder if he didn’t realize that little white lie, or if he was just respecting the fact she didn’t want to get into anything while on the job. If it was the latter, she feared the conversation would be brought up again. And if that happened, she knew she couldn’t lie again.

There _was_ something about him that drew her to him. She knew it, he knew it. Hell, even Sam knew it. But were either of them going to say anything? Let those emotions be known? Put all cards on the table?

_Fuck no._

They were too similar. The both of them were too stubborn. It was almost as if it was a game. Who would admit first they want to screw the other?

When they finished the sweep of the house, it was on to the next. Before they made it over there, Cate’s phone rang. _Samuel_ , the ID read. Cate excused herself from Karen, Dean following.

She out it on speaker, letting Dean listen in. “Did you find anything?” she asked in lieu of a greeting.

“ _It’s definitely that house. Barred windows and triple locked doors_.”

“None of the other houses have that kind of security,” Cate said quietly. Then she turned around, calling for the realtor. “Karen!”

Dean was about to scold her, but Karen walked over to them with that wide smile on her face. “Are we ready to look at the last one?”

“Dean and I have a lot to think about. So, we’ll let you know,” Cate nodded, about to turn around.

“Oh, but there’s one more,” Karen informed them again.

“I think we’re good. But thank you so much for showing us around.”

“No problem,” she said, narrowing her eyes a moment, slightly confused.

Cate began walking back, Dean trailing behind. She held the phone up to her ear, saying, “Sam, meet us at the motel. I think we’ve got our changeling mother.”

* * *

[click here for the cover link](https://www.canva.com/design/DACPnpI0RZo/view)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love making covers for stories, above (if i did this properly) is the link for the one i've made for big talk. also, i've decided that amber heard will be cate harvelle's face claim. hope you're enjoying the story so far :)


	7. Cool Kids || 03

“So, what’s the plan?” Cate asked, standing around the table in her motel room with Sam and Dean.

The eldest Winchester scoffed. “Oh, please, Rogers. This is _your_ case,” he said as he gestured to the table full of documents and research.

Sam stared with eyes full of boredom between the two in front of him. When they weren’t being sappy, they were bickering, and Sam wasn’t sure which was worse, but he’d begun to grow tired of it. He sighed as Cate let out a mocking laugh.

“Oh, _now_ it’s my case? It didn’t seem like that when you budded in on it.”

“Come on. You needed my help, don’t even deny it.”

“Your _help_? How have you helped me?”

“If I wasn’t with you, you probably would’ve gone after that real estate agent--guns a-blazin’.”

“That’s bullshit! I was the one that got us away from her when we found out about that house, _you’re_ welcome.”

“What, and you think practically running away before the end of our little house search didn’t tip her off a little?”

“At least I think before I do something stupid.”

“And walking around that neighbourhood like we were gonna buy a place together wasn’t stupid?”

“It was a cover! Get over it!”

Once they began shouting, Sam had had enough. “Guys!”

“What?!” Cate and Dean shouted, turning their heads to look at Sam at the same time.

Something had happened. Sam had picked up on it. He wasn’t sure if they’d indulge him, but it was worth a shot. “What’s going on with you two?”

“Nothing,” they stated.

“Uh… okay,” Sam looked between the two of them as they stared back with the same frustrated yet guilty looks on their faces. “Let’s just figure out what we’re doing,” he suggested, drawing their attention to his laptop.

“Fine,” they grumbled.

He kept looking at the two on the other side of the table. They stood in the same way, both hands on the table, leaning forward and looking up at longer-haired man. Their hands so close they were almost touching.

Cate and Dean both raised their eyebrows, telling Sam to continue simultaneously; and unbeknownst to the other of their similar stances. That was twice Sam had caught it. They were always so in sync, and they didn’t even realize it.

“Tha--Weird,” Sam would have said something, but he really needed their focus. “Okay, we need a game plan here. We can’t just bust in there with lighters and propane tanks.”

The Harvelle in the room shrugged. “Why not?”

“Because, Cate, that would be stupid,” Dean said, rolling his eyes at the woman.

“Because, Cate, that would be stupid,” she mocked right back in a voice that in any other situation would have made Sam crack up.

“Oh, real mature.”

“Real ma--”

Sam slammed his hand down on the table. “Guys! God, can we _focus_ , please?”

“Whatever,” Cate and Dean sighed, slumping onto their chairs and crossing their arms with a loud huff.

“The next person to say something that doesn’t help this case, gets shot, understood?” Sam ordered, feeling like a child mediating between his parents.

* * *

They’d formulated a plan. Enter the basement, find the kids, rescue the kids, hope the changeling mother shows up to stop said rescue, kill the changeling mother.

Simple, yeah?

Cate was told that once the mother lit up in flames, the fake children would vanish along with her. It was dark out, well past midnight, so they wouldn’t be bothered by average civilians. Dean was filling her in as they drove to the right house.

“These bitches can fight, okay? You’ve gotta watch your back.”

Cate sighed from her seat in the back, glaring at the driver through the rear view mirror.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m only looking out for you. You’ve never fought one of these things before; I just want you to be prepared.”

His face was softer, and Cate knew he was serious. She also watched Sam turn his head to his brother, raising his eyebrows like he was about to say something, but decided against it.

“Okay,” she said.

Dean looked in the mirror, glancing at the reflection of the woman behind him. He was almost surprised she’d conceded so quickly. He thought that maybe she was learning to trust him. Little did he know, she already did, and would with her life.

“Alright, let’s go over it again,” Sam said from the passenger seat. “We sweep the house for threats. We get the kids. If the mother shows up early, Dean’s on kid duty, Cate and I fight the mother.”

“You’ve got the flamethrower?” Dean checked. Sam nodded and raised it from his bag to prove it. “Alright, we’ve got this,” he said, but Sam couldn’t help noticing the slight doubtful tone.

It was true, Dean was a little doubtful--but only in himself. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to stay on task with Cate with him. He knew she could handle herself, though that didn’t stop him from worrying for her safety.

They arrived at the house where the kids were sure to be held, and parked on the side of the road. They walked around the back, Dean carrying a pair of bolt cutters. He snapped off the three padlocks on the back door.

“Did she really think no one would find this suspicious?” Dean asked rhetorically as he finished off the last lock.

They each took a floor, scanning for any sign of life. Cate took the main floor, Dean upstairs, and Sam in the basement. When the youngest Winchester reached the cages that held the children, he called up the stairs to his fellow hunters.

“I found them!”

The other two ran down, and Dean began to cut open the locks while Sam and Cate stood guard. The changeling mother must have been hiding somewhere in the basement, and it appeared to the others that she came out of nowhere.

Sam and Cate took turns fighting against her, giving Dean time to save the children. Sam scrambled to his pack, going for the flamethrower. Cate tried everything she could to keep the mother away from the others.

Dean was right, changeling mothers were brutal. It was an unfair fight as Cate’s knife had been knocked out of her hand and stolen by the monster. Dean ran up to her, snatching a lead pipe from the ground and knocking the mother on the back of the head.

“Cate! Get the kids!” Dean barked, right before the pipe was knocked away from him. Cate swiftly caught it, smacking the mother in the jaw.

“ _You_ get the kids. I’ve got her,” Cate said with a challenging stance.

“Hold her still!” Sam exclaimed, holding out the flamethrower.

Cate pushed the changeling up against the wall, holding the pipe against her chest. She took one more swing, and the mother collapsed. Before she regained herself, Sam pulled the trigger, making the creature disintegrate into a pile of ash.

“What the fuck was that?!” Cate shouted at Dean.

Sam cleared his throat, gesturing to the children that cowered in the corner of the room. “Kids, Cate. Watch your language.”

Cate’s jaw clenched, and she didn’t say anything else, walking out of the room.

* * *

When they arrived back at Cate’s motel after returning all the children, Sam stayed in the car. The only time he’d get involved when Cate and Dean were fighting, was if he were on a time crunch and needed their heads. Otherwise, he found it best to let them sort their shit out for themselves.

Cate got out of the car first, slamming her car door shut. Dean followed her out and was stopped when the motel door was closed just before his face. He sighed and turned the knob, walking in.

The door was left open and Sam saw into the room, pinching the bridge of his nose as he knew he’d have the delight of witnessing Dean’s impending doom. Usually, he’d side with his brother. But he knew where Cate was coming from and decided to sit this one out.

The woman paced, biting her tongue to hold back what was either a scream in Dean’s face, or a slap--she had yet to choose. Dean watched her go back and forth with his eyes. He sighed and decided to break the silence.

“Cate, you were quiet the whole ride. Talk to me.” With no response other than her forceful breathing, he said, “You can’t just shut me out. Can you at least tell me what that was back there?”

She stopped, turning on her heels and staring angrily at Dean. “ _That_ was me doing my job. I'm _not_ a little girl.”

Dean nodded, speaking calmly, mainly because he was scared what she’d do to him. “I know that. I was just trying to--”

“If you say protect me, I swear I will kick you in the balls so hard you will drop like a goddamn sack of potatoes.”

“Ca--”

“I know how to fight, Dean. You can't just keep me in the sidelines while the 'big boys' do all the work,” she quipped with air quotes.

“Why are you arguing with me on this?” he asked, exasperated.

She let out a laugh that was anything but joyful. “Oh, fuck you. This was _my_ case. You could've left the moment you saw I had it. But no! You just _had_ to stick around--”

“I had to come to make sure that you were okay!”

Then it was quiet. “What?” she whispered, her top about to blow. “Did--did you know was on this case before you got here?”

“No,” he grumbled guiltily.

“Dean,” she said in a tone that meant not to test her.

“Okay!” he admitted. “Maybe I've had other hunters keep an eye out for you.”

Cate sighed, her throat growing sore from yelling. “I'm _fine_. I have been doing this a while. I don't need you checking up on me.”

“Obviously you do. You would've died if Sam and I weren't there for you--”

“I would've handled it! I have before!” she exclaimed, almost pleading for him to understand that she wasn’t someone that needed protection or looking after.

What she didn’t understand was that Dean _wanted_ to protect her. It wasn’t because she needed it, but because he couldn’t help himself from making sure she was safe.

“Cate--”

“No, you don't get to help me. I don't need help.”

He groaned, grabbing onto her shoulders to stop her from walking around the room. “Stop interrupting me, for fuck sakes. I just wanted to keep an eye on you, okay?”

“Not okay,” she protested.

“Cate, dammit, shut up. Is it a crime to want to know that you're alive?” She opened her mouth to respond, but Dean beat her to it, and said, “Don't talk yet. It’s just that I--I… Never mind.”

Cate shook her head, acting as though she was very interested in the end of his sentence. “No, please. Do explain the need to have people _stalk me_ \--”

Her own sentence was cut off when Dean lowered down to her, attaching his lips onto hers. His hands rested at her hips, pulling her closer to him. One of her hands snaked up to his hair, tugging lightly, and she swore she heard him groan softly.

Cate drew back when she needed a breath. All previous anger was forgotten as she only thought about how much she’d wanted to kiss him, and how much she wanted to kiss him again. “What was that?” she let out in a small whisper.

“Thank you,” Dean stated hoarsely, pushing back a lock of blonde hair from Cate’s face.

She chuckled lightly, “What the hell for?”

“Not dying today,” he replied, looking into her eyes with a kind of sincerity Cate hadn’t seen before.

“Yeah. I'll try not to again tomorrow, if that's okay.”

He smiled, the kind of smile that showed how truly happy he was, the kind of smile that was rarely even used. “I'd like that.”

“I’m still mad at you,” she declared.

He shook his head, running a thumb over her hands. “I know. I’m sorry. I just don’t think right where your safety is concerned.”

“I can take of myself. So, don’t worry.” Cate looked over Dean’s shoulder and saw a massive grin on the face of the youngest Winchester back in the car. She let out a small laugh, and said, “You should, uh, you should get going.”

Dean nodded, quickly pecking Cate’s lips before he turned around, walking toward the car. Cate sent a little wave at Sam before she closed her motel door, leaning against the back of it with an ecstatic smile.

When Dean sat back in the driver’s seat, Sam was giving him a triumphant smirk that could only be read as ‘I told you so’.

“Shut up, Sammy,” Dean muttered, putting the car in drive and going off in search of their next case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you think i hate writing action scenes, well you would be correct. i am awful at them.
> 
> also, i've got pretty much the whole thing planned and i think it'll be about 30 chapters, but this is all i have prewritten so far. if there's anything anyone wants me to get into concerning cate and dean, or the harvelles, or just about anything--let me know, i'd love to accommodate.
> 
> and i love feedback!! please drop a comment or two about how i'm doing so far :)


	8. Hotling Bling || 01

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is short af but it's been a while and i wanted to get something out there. i am still working on this, promise, it'll be a while though. for now, enjoy! and don't hesitate to comment what you think so far :)

_Ring! Ring!_

“The fuck is it now?” Cate grumbled, crossing her motel room to her phone. She dug under the piles of papers until she found the source of the incessant ringing.

She cleared her throat as she pinched the bridge of her nose, not glancing at the ID before she answered.

“Agent Ward.”

There was a pause, then, “ _Cate?_ ”

She smiled as she recognized the voice. Her name on his lips had always brought her a sliver of joy, no matter the circumstance. “Dean, shit, hey. Sorry,” she chuckled, excusing her introduction. “I'm on a case.”

“ _Bad time?_ ”

“No, no,” she quickly dismissed. “What's up? Bit early for a checkup, no?” Cate smirked as she propped the phone between her ear and shoulder.

She was reorganizing the files and folders as she waited for a response. She heard him curse under his breath before he said, “ _Actually, never mind, it's fine_.”

Cate stopped and held the phone in her hand, not wanting him to hang up. “No, what is it?”

“ _It's nothing. You're busy, I can--_ ”

“Oh my god. Dean, stop it. Just talk to me.” He paused again, and Cate sighed, a certain curiosity in her voice, “What's got you so flustered?”

He answered with one word, “ _You_.”

She knitted her brows together, tilting her head. “What about me?”

“ _I kissed you_ ,” Dean said in a rushed sentence.

Cate chuckled, leaning back in her chair as she nodded, “Yes, you did.”

“ _Now, at the risk of sounding like a schoolgirl, I was just wondering what that meant_.”

“What did you want it to mean?”

Dean scoffed, his voice going lower, “ _Come on, Cate_.”

She sighed again, running her hand over her forehead. “I'm not sure. Half the time, we're across the country from each other, and the other half, we're bickering over cases and probably pissing off your brother.”

He gave a breathy laugh, saying sarcastically, “ _Yeah, I'm sure he enjoys that_.”

Cate paused, trying to figure out what to say. “I'll be honest, I've wanted to kiss you since you first set foot in my bar. But... our lives don’t exactly allow for dating.”

Dean let out a disappointed exhale, and said, “ _I know_.”

“So?”

“ _So, we stay where we are, then, yeah? Across the country and bickering over cases?_ ” he suggested with a playful tone over his obviously hurt feelings.

Cate hesitated, suddenly feeling saddened at what could have been. It could have been great. But they weren’t built for that. A life of hunting had no rest stops for romance.

“I wish it were different, Dean, I do.”

“ _That's another life, sweetheart_.”

“Another life,” she repeated quietly.

Dean wasn’t going to say anything else on the subject--of that, Cate was certain. He opted instead for ending the conversation. “ _I'll call next month, okay?_ ”

Cate didn’t just want to leave him hanging like that. But Dean was right--that was another life, one they’d never have. “Okay,” she said, trying her hardest not to let her sorrow seep through her voice. “Bye, Dean.”

“ _Bye, Cate_.”


End file.
